Target dot sight having target illumination sensor

Abstract

A target dot sight includes a target illumination sensor that senses the amount of illumination at a target, rather than merely sensing the ambient sight of the entire operating environment. Then, based on the sensed target illumination, the target dot sight may automatically compensate for the brightness of the target.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A targeting sight, comprising:
 a light generating source structured to generate a target light and project it toward a target; 
 a target light sensor disposed in the targeting sight and structured to sense a target brightness value of the target while excluding ambient light from the target light sensing; 
 an ambient light sensor separate from the target light sensor and structured to sense an ambient brightness value of ambient light; and 
 a brightness controller structured to control the light generating source based at least in part on the target brightness value sensed by the target light sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The targeting sight according to  claim 1 , in which the targeting sight comprises an aperture, and in which the target light sensor is disposed in the aperture. 
     
     
       3. The targeting sight according to  claim 2 , in which the aperture is structured to block at least a portion of ambient light from reaching the target light sensor. 
     
     
       4. The targeting sight according to  claim 1 , in which the brightness controller is further structured to control the light generating source based at least in part on the ambient brightness value. 
     
     
       5. The targeting sight according to  claim 1 , in which the brightness controller is structured to store a historic value of a light driving level of the light generating source. 
     
     
       6. The targeting sight according to  claim 1 , in which the brightness controller is structured to store past target brightness values. 
     
     
       7. The targeting sight according to  claim 6 , in which the brightness controller is structured to store past target brightness values in a local memory. 
     
     
       8. The targeting sight according to  claim 6 , in which the brightness controller is structured to compare a present target brightness values to at least one of the past target brightness values. 
     
     
       9. The targeting sight according to  claim 8 , in which the brightness controller is structured to change a present level of driving the target light to a new level of driving the target light based on a comparison of the present target brightness value to the at least one of the past target brightness values. 
     
     
       10. The targeting sight according to  claim 6 , in which the brightness controller is structured to compare a present target brightness values to an average of stored past target brightness values. 
     
     
       11. The targeting sight according to  claim 10 , in which the brightness controller is structured to change a present level of driving the target light to a new level of driving the target light based on a comparison of the present target brightness value to the average of stored past target brightness values. 
     
     
       12. A method for controlling a target light generator in a targeting sight, the method comprising:
 reading a present brightness of a target through a target light sensor; 
 reading an ambient light value through an ambient light sensor different than the target light sensor; 
 generating an average brightness value from two or more target brightness readings; 
 comparing the present brightness of the target to the average brightness value; 
 generating a target light generator control signal based on the comparison of the present brightness of the target to the average brightness value. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 12 , in which generating a target light generator control signal is further based in part on the ambient light value. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising determining whether the target light generator is in a saturation driving mode. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising setting the target light generator to a saturation driving mode when the present brightness of the target exceeds the average brightness value by 25 Lux or more. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising entering a restoration setting mode when the target light generator is in the saturation driving mode, but when the present brightness of the target is below the average brightness value by 25 Lux or more. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising, when entering the restoration setting mode, setting the target light generator control signal to a previously stored light generator control signal level. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising storing a present driving level of the target light generator control signal level prior to setting the target light generator to the saturation mode.